Chapter 9
The Problems of
Overpopulation
Population and Quality of Life
Primary problems with overpopulation:
• Environmental degradation
• Hunger
• Persistent poverty
• Economic stagnation
• Urban deterioration
• Health issues
Environmental Impact
Model to show mathematical relationship
between environmental impacts and the
forces that drive them:
I=PxAxT
Environmental Impact
Ienvironmental impact (Ex: env. impact of CO2
emissions from cars)
Pnumber of people (total # of people driving
cars)
Aaffluence (amount of resources consumed) per
person (# miles driven per person)
Tenvironmental effects of the technologies used
to obtain and consume the resources (CO2
emissions per mile)
Environmental Impact
Must be interpreted with care because we
often do not understand all the
environmental impacts of a particular
technology
Valuable because it helps identify what we
don’t know or understand about
consumption and its environmental impact
Population and Quality of Life
Population and World Hunger
Population and Quality of Life
Different proposed strategies for reducing
hunger:
1) Strictly control population growth
2) Stimulate economic development
3) Provide better equitability of resources
Population and Quality of Life
Economic Effects of
Continued Population Growth
Competing hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: Rapid population growth
↑economic development + ↑technological
innovation.
Hypothesis 2: Rapid population growth
does the opposite.
Population and Quality of Life
Economic Effects of
Continued Population Growth
Debt in Developing Countries
Reducing the Total Fertility Rate
Why is Total Fertility Typically High?
• Gender defined roles
• High fertility to compensate for high
mortality
• Work expectations of children
• Religious beliefs
Reducing the Total Fertility Rate
The Social and Economic Status of Women
• Gender inequity is common worldwide
Percent illiteracy
of men and
women in select
developing
countries, 2002
Reducing the Total Fertility Rate
The Social and Economic Status of Women
• Gender inequity is common worldwide
• Younger age of marriage ↑ fertility rates
Reducing the Total Fertility Rate
The Social and Economic Status of Women
• Gender inequity is common worldwide
• Younger age of marriage ↑ fertility rates
• Higher level of education ↓ fertility rates
Reducing the Total Fertility Rate
Family Planning Services
Government Policies and Fertility
China’s Controversial Family Planning Policy
One child per family
Main problems with policy:
Eroded personal freedom
Disproportionate number of males born
Government Policies and Fertility
India’s Severe Population Pressure
• Early efforts centered on compulsory
sterilization.
(which was a complete failure)
• Currently attempting to integrate economic
development and family planning.
(total fertility rates have dropped)
Government Policies and Fertility
Mexico’s Young Age Structure
• Strong positive population growth
momentum due to high % young.
• Government measures (e.g., education
reform) have reduced the fertility rate.
Government Policies and Fertility
The Population Challenge in Nigeria
• Most populous African country with high a
fertility rate.
• Birth control use very low (8%).
• Government attempting to improve health
care and encourage marrying later.
Government Policies and Fertility
Population Concerns in Europe:
• Opposite of most areas — fertility rate very
low.
• Pronatalists predict overwhelmed pension
programs and loss of economic growth.
• Opponents predict technological
innovations will spur economic growth and
the elderly will be asset to society.
Government Policies and Fertility
Case-in-Point: The Global Summit on
Population and Development
Focused on:
• Reproductive rights
• Empowerment of women
• Reproductive health
Achieving Population Stabilization
Discuss some of the ethical issues
associated with overpopulation:
• Is it ethical to have more than 2 children?
• Is it ethical to consume to much in the way
of material possessions?
• Is it ethical to try to influence a couple’s
decision about family size?